# SwiftRead vs Open Citadel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Open Citadel at none against SwiftRead's 3. SwiftRead's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwiftRead sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Open Citadel asks for nothing beyond the download.

SwiftRead ships an update every 9 days, Open Citadel fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwiftRead | Open Citadel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftread-speed-reading/id6470811151/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **43** | — |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 72 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SwiftRead](https://appshunter.io/developer/1714250314) | [Thamsanqa Ncube](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789093614) |

## What reviewers say

### SwiftRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftread-speed-reading/id6470811151)

Enhance your reading speed and comprehension with focus modes and natural text-to-speech narration. Import content from various sources and customize your reading experience across devices.

**Highlights:** Import PDFs, EPUBs, web articles, Visual focus modes (RSVP, pacing), Human-like TTS narration (90+ languages), Sync across devices, Customizable fonts, themes, speed, Works with Kindle Cloud Reader & Libby

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Quarterly | $44.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual | $119.99 | per year |


### Open Citadel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-citadel-self-development/id6789093612)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwiftRead free?

SwiftRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Open Citadel free?

Open Citadel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SwiftRead or Open Citadel have ads?

Neither SwiftRead nor Open Citadel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwiftRead or Open Citadel?

SwiftRead ships an update every 9 days, and Open Citadel fortnightly. Most recently, SwiftRead was updated on November 7, 2026 and Open Citadel on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*